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Anonymous, Student Reporter

NIU

I was a reporter for the Northern Star. It became very clear that people very close to us were injured and dead. It immediately changed the complexion of the newsroom. We knew we had to cover the story, yet we were clearly attached to what we were reporting about. We weren’t outsiders looking in like most of the national media; the victims were just like us—they walked past the same buildings, ate in the same dining halls—and there is absolutely no way you can remove yourself from that. And then to find out that Daniel, one of our own, was among those killed… It was the most difficult story I’ve ever had to cover.